Will China accelerate the construction of large scale solar energy plants?

March 28 (Reuters) - China will accelerate the construction of large scale solar energy plants and standardise the planning and development of land for solar projects, the natural resources ministry said on Tuesday.

Why is solar photovoltaic development important in China?

The development of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy is essential for China to meet its ’dual-carbon’ goals and shift towards cleaner energy sources. Site selection, a key early step, often neglects land spatial planning constraints and suffers from subjective decision-making ambiguity.

Why should solar power be deployed in western China?

Western China, with its abundant unused land resources and solar energy potential , offers opportunities for large-scale PV plant deployment to stimulate regional economy development while protecting the regional environment and biodiversity.

Where is solar PV based in China?

Utility-scale solar PV development - if it produces 10 megawatts (MW) or more of energy – has been concentrated in the northwest region of China where solar and land resources are abundant. Power demand centers are in the south and eastern regions, along the densely populated coast and where most of the industries are located.

What type of land is used for solar power in China?

In China, land use is heavily regulated, with preference given to areas such as grasslands, wastelands, and deserts for PV deployment due to lower development costs. Among these, other grassland—a specific subtype of secondary land use classified as agricultural land in China—is the most frequently utilized .

Does China have a solar power plant?

China's newly installed photovoltaic capacity has ranked first in the world in recent years. Timely and accurate monitoring of the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of solar power plants is essential to optimize China's renewable energy power distribution and achieve carbon reduction targets.